Stepping up
by Torusaurus Rex
Summary: During the rescue of Bakugo, things go awry. With no one around to save his best friend, one green haired hero will go to any lengths to save him. But what consequences will that have on the future?
1. Chapter 1

"I will just have to steal one more thing from you" came the declaration from All for One.

It fell on deaf ears. All that Deku could notice was the minute change of All for One's stance. A slight shift to aim his backhand towards the blond. Now that the League of Villians have been transported away, Kaachan was left clueless to the threat behind him. While charging up another shot at All Might, the weird tendrils started to leak off of the hand pointing towards Kaachan.

Deku tried to block out the screams of those trapped in the fallout of the attack. He needed focus, not the worry of the countless other lives on the line. He definitely didn't need to think where Gran Torino was right now or what was happening to the other heroes. Focus. He needed to focus. With a hitched breath, the world around him fell dark, seeing only that which was in front of him.

His best friend was about to die. Focus.

A thousand scenarios ran through his head in an instant, watching as All Might's position would leave him powerless to intercept the threat approaching his childhood friend. He saw his first, true friend perish countless times before his brain zeroed in on one course of action. Before All for One could even finish thinking about what he was soon to do, Deku charged his full cowl. Knowing he only had one shot to pull this off.

"Kaachan" cried Deku, being the only thing he could choke out in time.

And quicker than blinking, Deku was soaring. He would never let another person get hurt. What kind of hero would he be, if he couldn't even save one friend. Focus on the here and now. Closing the distance in a flash of green. Deku closed his eyes, bracing himself for the moment of impact.

Slamming into Kaachan, Deku spared him a glance. And the biggest smile he could muster.

"Deku. NO," shouted Kaachan "you idiot."

A shock of pain raced across his body, as he absentmindedly noticed the black and crimson tendrils, that were now sticking out the back of him. He wondered how his mother would feel. Whether it would be anything like when he first lost his dream of becoming a hero. Would the class at U.A. understand what he did, would they blame Kaachan. He hoped not, he made this choice. Not Kaachan.

He hoped All Might wouldn't hate him for this. Surely All Might would understand this sacrifice. He had been on the verge of sacrificing himself every day since he became a hero. Yeah. All Might would understand. Though he would still reprimand him for it.

Deku gave a hazy thought to Iida and Uraraka. He wished he could have said goodbye to them. Iida was just around the corner, he would definitely reprimand him once he sees. Deku starts to wonder if Uraraka would miss him. Definitely should have told her how he feels. He wonders if they could have led a happy life together. Probably not, he would have ended up in this position somehow. That's just who he is. Was.

"Aaaarrrgggghhh" Deku screamed as the tendrils exited his body.

"Deku!" cried Bakugo, as he lifted Deku into his lap. Not even noticing the fight that was still raging behind them.

Wait. Kaachan was crying? Why would he be crying? He was always the strong one, out of the two. So he asked that exact question.

"Baka, you were always the strong one." Bakugo choked out "That's why I treated you the way I did, because you made me feel weak. Even now, you were the one to act."

"Ha, I was only ever trying to catch up to you."

"Shut up! You've always been the hero. So hold on!" Bakugo shouted "Iida, where the fuck are you?"

Not much could be heard over the cacophony of rage that was All Might's renewed attack against All for One. Explosions of violence ringing out across the industrial district.

"Stop crying and listen to me!" Deku said. "You need to be strong now, stronger than both of us."

"What are you talking about?! Help is on the way, I promise."

"We both know how this ends Kaachan." Deku declared, coughing up blood to punctuate his point. "You need to carry on the legacy of One for All."

"What legacy?!"

"The legacy that gave me this quirk." Deku groaned as he lifted a hand to his head and ripped out a hair.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

"You need to eat this and become the symbol of peace with the power it will give you!" Deku slammed his hand into the open, crying, mouth of the blond.

"I have no idea what the fuck is going on right now!" screamed Bakugo "Just stop talking and wait for help!"

"Ask All Might about One for All, he will tell you everything. He'll take you under his wing like he did with me." Deku said with his eyes starting to close "You know Bakugo. I've always loved you like a brother."

"So did I!" Bakugo choked out "So did I..."

But Deku couldn't hear him anymore, he couldn't hear anything. Neither could Bakugo as he started screaming incoherently for someone, anyone. He couldn't lose Deku. Not now. Not on these terms. Not after the way he's always treated him. He needed help! Why wasn't anyone helping?!

Bakugo touched his forehead to his best friend's. Getting tears all over the other's face. Choking out the last few sobs that his body could muster. The last it could muster before getting into action.

He slowly, carefully, picked up Deku's body. Being more delicate than he had been with anything. Slowly starting to walk. Starting to notice that the fight was over, that All Might wasn't All Might. The skeleton only registered somewhat in the back of his mind.

Bakugo slowly approached the broken man in front of him. Only allowing himself to pass out once he had delivered his cargo.

His best friend was dead. He could no longer focus.

 **AN: I hope this had the impact that I intended. Any feedback, positive or negative, would be gratefully appreciated as this is my first time uploading on here. Will most likely be updating frequently no matter what attention this receives. So buckle in for some more emotional moments, if you enjoyed what you have already read.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days went by in a flash.

At least, he thinks they did. Bakugo wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed since he had awakened in his room. He hadn't exactly been keen to leave it, barely eating the food that his mum would leave for him. Knowing better than to be her usually brash self. Mitsuki had never experienced such quiet in her household.

It was deafening.

On Katsuki's end, there was just a repeating series of images, playing out in his head. Wondering what he could have done differently. How he could have saved Deku. How he could have died instead. That was All for One's aim, so why did that idiot Deku have to but in like he always did. Why couldn't he have, just for once, not have been the pillar that he always was? At least to everyone but himself. Why did he have to leave him here. Alone.

He wondered how Inko felt. Though that thought was more dangerous to him than any of the others. Katsuki knew a taste of what Deku's mother would feel, but the question of how she would feel about him being saved in exchange for her son's life. That was what scared him the most.

"Katsuki!" Katsuki vaguely registered as his mother's voice "Stop moping and get your ass down here!"

Katsuki already knew this, of course. He had finally bathed for the first time since the incident. He was even in a suit and tie. He needed to be strong for everyone else, like Deku would have been. The faces of his classmates ran through his mind one more time, giving him resolve to a pillar. For everyone but himself. Is this how Deku felt? No. Deku would have smiled through it and not let any of it get to him. No. Deku was much stronger than this.

"The funeral is today." Mitsuki insisted "And we are picking up Inko on the way there, so hurry the fuck up!"

That wasn't factored into his plan! How could he face Inko before the funeral?! He wasn't prepared for this. Over and over, the plan for today was made perfect in his head. How he would put on that dumbass smile of Deku's and showed his classmates that they weren't alone in this. That no matter how broken things may seem, they could always mend it together. But he was hoping to build his strength slowly, ready to face Inko much later. Katsuki began to sweat.

"I mean it! If you aren't down in two minutes, we are leaving without you. Ya little dickhead."

"I'm coming you old hag!" Katsuki shouted, his lips curling up ever so slightly for the first time in days.

The car rolled up to the Midoriyas' house, well just the one Midoriya now.

"It smells like him", Bakugo thought to himself, head down as he slowly marched into the living room. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been here, it used to be such a haven when he and Deku were young. When they were really young. Before Bakugo became that person. He didn't even remember when that was. Just that one moment they were always together, then the next, he had pushed away his first, his best. No. His only true friend. Now Deku was gone, because of him.

Katsuki spotted Inko's shoes before he heard his mother and father exchanging greetings with the elder Midoriya. He tensed as he spotted Deku's shoes on the rack. Thoughts began to race through his mind at a blistering speed. Every which way of approaching Inko was examined and replaced by another. He thought he could hear Deku's voice, just for a moment. He could picture Deku in front of him, telling him how strong he was. How he could get through this. Though now that he really needed his friend, he was gone. The picture in his mind didn't fade though and with that, he lifted his head.

Again, he began to cry "I-I-I..."

"Shush now, it's ok Katsuki" Inko almost whispered "I know, I know. You don't need to say it."

"But, but, how can I, how can you? It should have been me, if only..."

"My son made a choice!" came the stern rebuke "And it's a choice we have to respect. You especially"

Mistuki placed her hand on her son's shoulder, giving a strained smile. One that Bakugo looked up to see was tinted with bloodshot eyes.

"Izuku's memory will not die alongside him. I expect you to honour his decision and live out his dream. I know you always shared the same one."

"But how am I supposed to do it without him?" Bakugo forced out behind the quiet sobs "He was always the strong one."

"Learn to lean on others. You're never alone in this world. It's what my son, your friend, would want you to do."

"But I've burnt all of my bridges. Deku was the only one that was still there for me."

"You'd be surprised how tolerant most people are. You're in a class full of heroes aren't you? "You think they would be weak enough to shun an ally in need?" The first signs of a smirk graced Inko's face "Even if that ally is you?"

Another image of Deku danced around the room, followed by himself chasing the green haired boy. Laughing as they ran. Slowly the image of their mothers faded into view. Mitsuki cursing out his son, while Inko faulted at her language. Urging her to quieten down, swearing she was worse than the children.

"I promise!" Katsuki blurted out, rubbing his eyes while he tried to stifle the sobbing.

A collective "Huh?" came from the parents.

"I promise that Deku's memory will never die! I WILL become the greatest hero and immortalise

him, so that everyone will know what a hero he is! I will live for him." he softened to a whisper "For everyone."

"I'm glad to hear it." Bakugo was graced with a soft smile "Then you'll probably need this."

Inko proceeded to pass a notebook. He read the front cover and cried, this time with a as big a smile as he could manage.

It read. "Hero notebook #1: Bakugo Katsuki."

 **AN: Here's another scene, hopefully a bit less depressing by the end. I want this to have a tone of hurt, but to be mostly uplifting in the face of it. Any feedback again is more than welcome. Let me know what you think about the length of the chapters, and of course, the quality. Thanks for reading, laters.**


	3. Chapter 3

As the traffic passed by idly, Bakugo opened the notebook Inko had given him. He smiled at the front cover. "Deku was always was such a nerd for heroes," he thought to himself, almost as a reflex. "But why did he have one on me?"

He started on the first page:

Name: Bakugo Katsuki (Kaachan)

Quirk: Explosive sweat(crossed out) Explosion

Bakugo couldn't help but snigger. In his youth, he had made damn well sure that everyone around him called his quirk 'Explosion' instead of calling him sweaty all of the time. For a long time until reaching UA, the only person that knew the machinations of quirk was Deku. He had even go sone far as to shout at those stronger than him in Kastuki's defence about naming his quirk, but was still always fascinated by the nitroglycerin he secreted in the sweat. He continued on reading.

Personality: Brash, impulsive, reckless, quick to anger...

Ironically, even given the circumstance, Bakugo managed to channel his typical anger at those words. Was that how Deku really saw me? However, it went on.

Personality cont.: Brave, protective, caring and strong; physically and mentally.

The tears slowly welled up after reading this. After everything Bakugo had put Deku through, the green haired wimp still thought this of the hero in training. Bakugo remarked to himself, that Deku still would find the good of any person or situation. Bakugo wondered if His friend would have made a character analysis of himself; well I guess someone should. I should show that world what Deku was really like, the shining inspiration, the dedication to doing the right thing no matter what. That's the Deku he had always admired. The Deku he had always resented for not being able to live up to.

What followed after the preliminaries, was a detailed dissection of the pros and cons to his fighting style and mannerisms in heroic situations. Explaining in detail, the patterns to his tactics and how they were effective in the situations he could, and did, get himself into. Though there were weaknesses that come along with them. Instinctually Bakugo started makes excuses and try to rationalise internally about why the weaknesses weren't really weaknesses. Wrestling with the idea of Deku's truth and his perception of himself. Most importantly, the thought of how he stacked up to his greatest hero. Though eventually coming to enough of a realisation.

That's when he finally broke, with a smile that hid the tears of, just catharsis? No. They were tears of sorrow, joy, and a whole bag of emotions his adolescent mind could not comprehend. He looked over at his anchor in the driving seat. Desperately searching for reassurance from the only sane confident he had. He was graced by a strong smile from his father, one of duty and care. And with that, Bakugo found the strength to move on.

Costume designs: Attempt #1

Attempt #2

Attempt #2

...

Attempt #n

...

Final design

Bakugo smiled. The first genuine and true smile since, since the incident. He recoiled at the resurfacing memory. Instead, focusing on the page in front of him. This costume was how Deku saw him. Deku saw him as the hero that he truly could be, inside and outside and this costume could show that. How had Bakugo have spurned the one person that truly cared about him, the one that truly saw through the bravado; to the core of what made him, him.

He would have to put in a costume change order, but that would have to wait after the next ordeal.

As the car pulled up to the funeral parlour, he braced himself and hung his head as he exited the car.

Bakugo could hear the deafening sound of dozens of feet all stamping around, trying to find their place in the surrounding turmoil. Staring down at them, he noticed that none of them really had any purpose in their movements, no direction. It was like the pitter patters of driftwood floating endlessly in an ocean of despair. He listened even closer to the hushed tones around him. Tones that were booming to his ears. He just wanted to shut their noise out, their hollow condolences, their lies about caring, their fake memories of Deku. Of his friend.

The commotion began to suffocate Katsuki, driving him away to a ledge where he could cover his ears before he passed out from the overstimulation. He squeezed his eyes together, closing them tighter and tighter until the world around him was blocked out entirely.

All he could see now was that face. That freckled, angelic face. It was the face of a far-off memory that was now but a scattered dream. How long had it been since Deku had left him alone? How long since that selfish idiot robbed him of his death? Nothing made sense anymore, why was he even here?! Deku was gone, that's all that mattered. Not some event where superficial people could share their superficial emotions. He just wanted him back. The precious vision in his head started to fade. Even now the Deku of his psyche was leaving him. He reached out his mental tendrils after the green haired boy. Desperate to grab any part of him to make him stay. But the image drifted further and further away.

Just as the last speck of Deku was gone from his mind's eye, Bakugo heard a voice. A flash of red hair caught his slowly opening eyes. The imposing form of Kirishima loomed tall above his bent ovre body. He noticed a slight hardening of the redhead's skin as their eyes met. Bakugo had to remind himself that he wasn't the only one in this. Inko's words of family and camaraderie echoed in his mind.

He could see the all too familiar bloodshot that stained Kirishima's usually charismatic face.

"Key Kaachan," Kirishima said only just above a whisper.

Katsuki smiled despite himself, he hadn't been called that since. Well since that day. Only a second passed before he beamed out the biggest All Might smile he could muster. Before he can even say a word, he hears "You don't have to force out a smile like that for our sake."

"It's not just for you," he murmurs. Kirishima's already small smile diminishing further upon hearing the response. Katsuki could easily notice and with renewed vigour spouted "It's what Deku would do for any of us in this situation."

"You really don't have to pretend to be fine! We are here for you!"

Once again Katsuki lost some composure, saying with less assurance in his voice "I am anything but fine, but if you are here for me, then who is there for everyone else."

"We are a family, Kaachan. That means none of us have to go it alone, we can all lean on each other. That's what Midoriya would want."

"Heh, yeah. But that still wouldn't stop him from trying to take everyone's share of pain on himself," a smaller, less forced smile graced Katsuki's features "I wish I could be half the hero he is."

"You'd be surprised just how proud of you he was. He would always talk about how far you've come and what amazing things you had done. Even when you blew up, he would always explain it away."

"Well, then I wish I could be half of whoever Deku thought I was." Katsuki's smile faltering with each sentence now.

"A lot of our classmates think you are."

The smile slowly returned, who it was for this time was a mystery. Katsuki sighed as he said, "I don't know how I'm going to face them though."

Kirishima finally beamed behind his tired eyes, "As a family."

 **AN: I edited this chapter based on the suggestion that Uraraka and Bakugo's friendship is not nearly developed enough in cannon, or at all in this fic yet, to have comforted him ad she did. Plus she would be greaving just as much as him and be leaning on the slightly emotionally stronger character's. These two factors made me choose Kirishima, he is already the most friendly towards Bakugo (at least in the majority of headcannon I read!) and has the rock hard character to match his quirk and be there for Bakugo. Any more criticism is greatly valued so I can make this story and my general writing better!**


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